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So, I was just as shocked as everyone else when what had become almost "routine" for the U.S. suddenly revealed it's very dangerous side once again. NASA proposed the shuttle program because it was supposed to be cheap, easy and very safe. However, it has proved anything but. NASA's original proposal was supposed to gear up to the point where a shuttle would be taking off every week. However, at its peak, the shuttle program managed to have eight missions in one year. That was cut back to a mere four missions after the Challenger disaster. While Columbia's life-span was only half over (shuttles are supposed to last 40 years) now that the U.S. has lost a second shuttle, the whole program is called into question.

So, should the shuttle program be scrapped? replaced? with what? What would you do if you ran NASA or were on the U.S. Senate space commission? Will the "final frontier" remain elusive or is there a way in which space can be effectively, safely and profitably conquered?

alien2

Space should be explored just like Oceans were explored. Yes people will die and yes it is tragic. Space exploration is essential to the evolution of our species.

I agree... though I don't want to be the person going into space.

space exploration is just an adventure, just to see what else God created

The Big Bang doesn't explain jack, oh and omega i'm going to reply to that one thread, here in a while

The Big Bang is just a theory....it'd be nice to know for a fact, what really created the universe.

no, space exploration si more than an adventure..it might prove to be our existential salvation one day.
I'm sure nasa knows what they're doing and they have no gain by reducing the missions number. They're just playing it safe, like they should. The columbia was a nasty turn on things, proof that they have to be even MORE careful

But that's just what i'm saying, it already says who created the universe, since there's no way that the big bang could workout

Yes its sad that people have died in the space program but then that is the risk pioneers take and space travel is still a pioneering technology.
If I was in charge of it all I would put forward funds to develop/explore new ways to escape gravity to make take and landing safer.

I wouldn't mind going into space, it's blowing up on the launch pad before I get there that I would be more concerned about.

I want to go to space! ...

/\ Me 2. It would be sooooooooooooooo cool!!

I also agree that it is sad that people have died in the space program, but people have died during pretty much all types of exploration. Exploration is risky, but it is how we learn about our world and our universe. I am definitely for the space program continuing. When I was younger, I used to dream of going into space. Now, I'm so afraid of heights, I'm not sure I could ever do it - even if it became routine for regular individuals to go out there. I do think it would be incredible, though, to experience that!! I hope someday to watch feed from a probe sent to planets besides Mars. Maybe even something sent beyond our galaxy when it becomes possible. Ok, ok, I know it's cheesy, but this post brought this song to mind.......

It's been a long road
Getting from there to here
It's been a long time
But my time is finally near
And I will see my dream come alive at last,
I will touch the sky
And they're not gonna hold me down no more
No, they're not gonna change my mind
Cause I got faith of the heart
I'm going where my heart will take me
I got faith to believe
I can do anything
I got strength of the soul
And no one's gonna bend or break me
I can reach any star
I got faith
Faith of the heart...

As of right now we are just studying space, we don't necessarily have a purpose. We just explore, so we can improve on are technology, improving are technology improves exploration which will eventually lead to discovering great helpful things to the human race. We do some testing in space, for various medical improvements. Space is necessary if we want to keep on top of things and people dieing while in space is a risk that NASA is aware of, but sometimes a very helpful thing to improve technology, so the same problems wont repeat.

When I die, I want my ashes to be scattered in space

That's a very original death wish. So, anyone here planning to go in a space program?

/\ I think the star trek guy (crator of it) was cremated that way, having his ashes scattered in space after he died.

Seriously? That's interesting.

Yup. Check it out....

http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/s386244.htm

http://svc403.bne025u.server-web.com/media/star_trek.htm

well think about this for a second... the space shuttles are made by a contractor with the LOWEST bid. so everything in that shuttle, from labor to parts, is the cheapest NASA can find. if i ran NASA, it would spend so much money, they would have to sell alaska back to the russians...

I swear, I'm going to smack the next person who dismisses something as "just a theory."

I mean, I don't want to be rude, but have you ever heard of the theory of relativity? Germ theory?

Yes, it is because people have the wrong idea of what 'scientific proof' means- they seem to think that this world is run on things scientists are absolutely certain about. As if! All good scientists know otherwise; the very concept of scientific 'proof' is slightly dodgy.

Pretty much anything that we know about space is only a theory, their are lot of theories no one particular theory. Except for the obvious ones.

bangin

My understanding was that a "law" is something observed - proven - fact; and a theory is the explanation of "how" it happens.

I repeat pretty much everything we know about space is a theory, their is never any truth, their are many opions by scientist that have studied space for a long time, and all they come out with is thoeries, because they know it will always change. So: i just do it to piss people off.

I've been researching this whole "theory" thing lately for a number of reasons. Anyway, I thought these were pretty good:



Also:



Maybe that will be helpful to someone.

hmmm...yeah that helps aren't scientific law an theory basically the same thing.

Most of modern physics is just theory.

The Force> I am STILL waiting for the annonced proof in the "volution" thread? So what's it gonna be? You got any proof or was that jst a lot of hot air?

Linkalicious> No, Big Bang is established. You have everything from the microwave background (echo from the big bang), to Einsteins theory of general relativity (one of the most tested theories ever) predicting a Big Bang, as shown by professor Stephen Hawking. If you claim there is no proof of the Big Bang, you better show me what the WMA-probe has taken pictures off, and where Hawking is wrong.

Steely balls> If science didn't know what it was talking about, how do we get probes to Mars, Jupiter and beyond the Solar system? How do we get men to the Moon? You don't really know anything about the Scientific Method, do you?

Elenveninches> So lasers, computers, nuclear powerplants, digital cameras and CAT-scans are just theories????

Of course we should explore space! Imagine the benefits of a manned mission to Mars for example. To accmplish such a task we'd need to find a way of better recycling water, which people in drought-areas could benefit from. We'd have to come up with a better kind of fuel, a more efficient kind of fuel, again to the benefit of us all.
Exploration and science should never be "because we get this out fit." It should be because we CAN.

I'm not talking about physics that has been around for decades. I mean really modern physics, like loop quantum gravity and string theory and stuff like that (that has just been invented within the last few years).
The things that you mentioned are based mostly on scientific principles that are 50 or so years old, and are more to do with engineering and classical physics than really modern physics.

The Omega> Where did that comment come from? I didn't claim there was NO PROOF of the big bang. All i said is that it was a theory...which it is. Unless you can show me an eye witness of the creation of the Universe, then it will probably remain just a Theory. Though I am very inclined to believe such a theory...from all my reading.

Space...the Final Frontier....kinda says it all...despite my belief that the oceans are also still a frontier...

i wasn't talking about that, i said everything we know about space can be changed quickly, their are factual things out their but some of it we only have theories for and can always change by another discovery, because space is big place their will always be doubts and new ideas about space, thats all i meant to say.

well they shouldn't cancel the shuttle program just because two shuttles went down. Space is a hazardous place and accidents will never be ruled out. I think the shuttle program is a vital program for the world economy

Problem is, there is so little in it for SUCH a long time. The comparison with exploring the oceans does not quite bear up to close examination. Space will remain a barren seam for decades at least and with so many other problems around it is hard to get into the ludicrous amounts that have to be spent on it.

I think manned missions have little justification right now.

I agree with ush on this, the manned missions still sound like a bad idea.

their are lot things we don't know about space lot more than what we do know, the things we do know are THE OBVIOUS ONES. thats what i'm saying. i also want to say that things we know can easily change. i sound like a broken record here. and yes their is never really truth out there. i understand what your saying but it doesn't relate to what i'm trying to say.

yep i always meant the obvious ones i thought people would know that with out me telling. Since they are obvious. any way i see what your saying. no i don't know about cosmology, astrophysics and astronomy. but i've had discusions with my Earth Space teacher about some of it.

Perhaps further research and investment into remote unmanned missions might be a wise idea..